Diamonds great Bianca Chatfield says she’d welcome more internationals playing in Super Netball, claiming the competition shouldn’t be the “one pathway” for Australian selection.
At a time when more than 50 netballers from this season remain without a deal for 2026, Netball New Zealand has essentially “paved the way” for their players to take part in Super Netball under new exemption rules.
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What had previously been a 100-Test cap threshold – which saw star goaler Grace Nweke turn her back on the Black Dress regardless to sign for the NSW Swifts – has now been amended to an application process.
And already debate is raging over what that means for young Australians desperate to crack into the world’s best netball league.
But Chatfield is adamant the new Kiwi policy will only enhance Super Netball in 2026 and beyond.
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“They’ve made eligibility rules more flexible … now it’s more open,” she said on Fox Netball’s Pivot.
“I don’t believe we’re going to get a flood of New Zealand players over here.
“Obviously it’s a competitive environment to get one spot on a list of 10. I think we’re going to see the likes of potentially a Kelly Jackson, even a (Maddy) Gordon or (Kate) Heffernan coming over here and playing in Super Netball.
“And do you know what? I think it’s great. I think bring it on – let’s see how many internationals we can get out here playing in the best competition in the world.”
When Pivot host Cath Cox questioned if “opening up the floodgates to now another country” put homegrown talent at risk, Diamonds midcourter Kim Green agreed it would – but could see the flip side.
“As we know, this is a business. You want the best players in the world playing here,” she said.
“When you look at the coaches trying to sign their team up for the season, they want to be winning so of course you’re going to be looking for the best that are out here.
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“We have some beautiful young juniors coming through and we’re still seeing them coming through.
“The 11th player rule obviously helps with that.
“They will take up spots … (but) I don’t think New Zealand are going to let them all come over – but I think there will be a few.”
Chatfield said the role of the Super Netball competition wasn’t to simply act as a Diamonds pathway.
“What I think needs to become a priority is what happens in the Super Netball Reserves,” she said.
“We’ve seen Lucy Austin play two games in Super Netball and now be in the Aussie squad right? So we need to look at what that Reserves opportunity is.
“It needs to be a competition that goes the entire length of Super Netball as well because maybe our Diamonds and the opportunity comes from who is performing at that level if there’s no spots.
“Like in the shooter positions, there’s no spots open (for young Australian talent). Of course, we want to see plenty of Aussies on court in Super Netball, but the competition I believe has to stand on its own – not be the one pathway for Diamonds players.”
While Austin did get selected as an invitee for the Diamonds, it’s worth noting she had impressed coach Stacey Marinkovich back in January when she had her first camp experience.
“Lucy has been an invitee to the Diamonds before – and I guess it’s what we see when she came into that environment in January,” she told Fox Netball earlier this month.
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“She showed that her skill sets are a point of difference – she is that tall, holding shooter for us.”
Fellow Diamonds invitee Donnell Wallam is the only athlete selected who is playing outside of the Super Netball competition – and she is no longer in the main squad.
Newly retired England great Jo Harten opened up on the import debate, after she was initially recruited to play when clubs had a two-import limit.
“All I ever wanted growing up as a young netball player back in the UK is to make it out to either Australia or New Zealand. When I first went to play in the ANZ Championship in New Zealand, there was a two-import rule per team then,” she said.
“The league managed to navigate that in the ANZ days.
“I think with the Super Netball introduction of kind of an open-gate for all imports, it has made the league much more exciting.
“We see different types of flare each and every week. I think it’s great for world netball.”
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